Should wolves be reintroduced to places they onceroamed but are now extinct from now?

Question

I enjoy your answers about wolves and concerning them. but do you believe that wolves should be reintroduced to other areas that they once roamed?

Answer 1

For the most part, no I don't.  By the way, the correct term for "locally extinct" is "extirpated."  Living in Arizona, I have been fortunate enough to see wolves in the wild, and as a biologist I am aware of many of the factors involved with their reintroduction.  But certain facts remain:  mankind has altered the landscape; Large herds of prey have been replaced by domestic animals; many people are terrified of wolves and will do what they can to sabotage the reintroduction program.  The most telling fact, however, is the immense cost.  I feel there are better uses for the hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent, uses with a positive effect on dozens of other species: habitat acquisition; public education; enhancements like enclosures and exclosures; food plots; habitat restoration; invasive species control; and many other programs.  It's not that I have anything against wolves, I just think we could get more bang for our bucks.

Answer 2

Yes as simple as that. but it will be hard. where they once roam it is tainted with human sin

Answer 3

Definitely!

Answer 4

Yeah sure let them back into Central Park and downtown Pittsburg

Who's it gonna hurt

Tainted with human sin

Now that's funny

Apparently trolls pack too

Answer 5

There are actually programs that are aiming towards this goal in eastern Europe where the wolf has disappeared in most of his natural habitats.

I can only approve of this!

We took care of their disappearing, we should try our best now to give them the chance they always deserved.

People might be scared, but there are parts in Romania for example, where wolves roam the city streets at night.  They post no risk for humans at all whatsoever.  I bet you that if seen on the street at night, some people wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between a regular dog on the loose or a wolf.

Answer 6

YES!!!! YES!!!!! YES!!!!!!

Answer 7

I find a lot of these answers pretty disheartening in that most are utterly thoughtless and impractical.  I'm a biologist and a conservationist and it's a great idea to maintain and foster species where ever we can.  That being said, wolves at one point roamed widely throughout the entirety of Europe and North America.  This includes some of the most highly populated areas in the world.  

Do you honestly believe that you could reintroduce a top mammalian predator that travels and hunts in packs into human populated areas?  Dingos and coyotes will occasionally grab a baby or young child and on average they are much smaller and require much less food than wolves.  Given that the prey items that wolves once lived on have largely been excluded from these former environs, do you think it would take long before wolves and humans came into direct conflict?

Given the continued increase in human populations throughout most of this range, these problems will only increase over time.

While it's an interesting fantasy that we could reintroduce some of the large predators whose ranges have been greatly restricted like wolves and grizzlies, it is simply impractical.  Look at the difficulties people are having with expanding wolf populations in the relatively sparsely populated areas of the North-western U.S.  Now think about wolves roaming the streets of Paris, Rome, Chicago, Toronto.  Simply impossible.

Answer 8

Yes, if their former environment is not encroached upon by human infrastructure.  The word you are looking for is extirpated.  A population of wolves should be restored if they were wiped out by sources not related to their food supply to restore the ecosystem's balance.  If their food source has also been decreased to extreme lows, it would then obviously be wise to either let it recuperate naturally or introduce some other from of prey (the more natural the better).

Answer 9

Absolutely not, and I resent my tax dollars being spent on efforts that are doomed to failure.